Seven sentences outlined in Levi Kent murder case
HAMPSHIRE CONSTABULARY have formally announced that a total of seven individuals have all been ‘sentenced’ to varying terms of imprisonment in connection to Operation Talus; which was implemented following the tragic murder of Levi Kent in Gosport during late November 2023 and comes after a multitude of guilty verdicts were outlined in August.
Officers were called to Keyes Road in Bridgemary at 2:32am on November 24 (Friday) to several reports of the assault on twenty-two year old Levi Kent who had been stabbed six times and sadly died of his injuries shortly afterwards. The investigation saw eight people arrested on charges including murder, robbery, and assisting offenders, amongst others.
Eighteen year old Tommy West, of Fisguard Road in Gosport, did plead guilty to murder along with a charge of robbery and also possession of a bladed article. He was jailed to a life sentence with the minimum tariff of twenty one years for murder in additional to concurrent sentences of five years for robbery and an extra year for possessing a bladed article.
His half brother, Aiden West, was further given a life sentence for murder after a guilty verdict in August and must serve at least twenty-eight years before he is considered for ‘parole’. His sentence follows a long six week trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, where the jury also found him not guilty on a single charge of possessing a bladed article in a public spot.
Forty-three year old Peter West and sixty-four year old Michael Figgins were also found guilty of assisting Tommy West in this aftermath; this pair driving Tommy to various locations allowing him to discard of evidence. Mr West, of Wimpson Lane in Southampton, was sentenced to two years in prison with Mr Figgins now set to stand in court on November 11.
Thirty-six year old Sarah Flynn was furthermore sentenced to a year after pleading guilty to two charges of assisting an offender; whilst Joanne West (45) was jailed for a year and three months for the same offences. Meanwhile 38-year old Liam Savage was jailed to a year for two charges of assisting the offenders with Tommy and Aiden visiting the property.
Mark Phillips, of Gilbert Close in Gosport, was sentenced to a suspended jail term of six months after he plead guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice; the 56-year old offering police a ‘false statement’ regarding a taxi booking. The full details of each sentence and events in this case are fully documented on the Hampshire Constabulary website.
Readers may read a statement from Levi’s family after the sentences via this link, which also includes a comment from Detective Chief Inspector Matt Gillooly following the two-day court hearing that was held across Tuesday / Wednesday.
PICTURED BY ALAMY (GGGRJ4): Official logo of Hampshire Constabulary as viewed on the exterior of police vehicle.
